A Soul
by So Electric
Summary: Someone's died. What do you do after the center of your earth is dead?
1. Prologue

She slid under the covers, white-blonde hair peeking through. She groaned, clutching her stomach, her eyes shut tightly, tears staining violently blue bruises on her cheeks and under her eyes. "Raven," she murmured softly through the covers. "Raven, honey, I need you now."  
  
"Overdose," the young Hispanic man said, shaking his head sadly. "Young, white, female, between the ages of 18 and 25." The paramedics covered the ashen face with a plastic sheet. "Too bad," said his partner, noticing the pained look on his face. The other man covered his eyes, squeezing back tears. "Let's take her to the mortuary. Maybe somebody will identify her body." That night, someone died. Someone's soul floated through the white clouds to a peaceful eternity. That night someone lost their sister, friend, and daughter. That night, a four year old girl was lying on a pallet, sleeping peacefully, while her mother was getting murdered. 


	2. Five o clock as the world begins

A petite woman with short brown hair walked briskly down the hall. What had the man said? "There's been an accident." She'd laughed at first. An accident. Impossible. Everyone she loved lived within minutes away. There couldn't be an accident. "A horrible horrible accident." He'd said. That wasn't true. But somehow.somehow she'd felt a tinge of fright. Dismissing the feeling, she's decided to come and see the body. Someone else's body. Nobody she knew. She'd come and tell him sorry no thank you, but she did not know that person laying on that bed and she would get back in her car and pick up Alma from day care. She checked the slip of paper. Room C223. A fat bald man was waiting for her. "Mary Anne Bruno I presume?" he said. She nodded. The man winced. "Right this way."  
  
Raven Diaz peeked into the room. A bunch of kids were playing with dirty toys. Yuck. She pressed her body against the wall, hoping no one would notice her. "You!" said the lady with the pinched face. Raven didn't like her. Raven wished that the lady would call her by her name. But some people had found her in an empty apartment so they didn't worry about her name. "Go inside! They won't hurt you!" Raven frowned. She did not like this place. What was it called? The orbanige? She took a tentative step into the room, playing with the end of her long brown braid. The lady with the pinched face introduced her to twins and a girl who looked funny. The twins were Robby and Bobby and they'd pulled her hair. She didn't like them. "What are you in for?" Bobby had asked. Raven frowned. "My mommy went to heaven but she's coming right back." She said proudly. Robby frowned. "Stupid kid, your mommy's not coming back. Come on Bobby."  
  
It couldn't be. But it was. Dawn was laying on the cold hard metal bed. A stuffed doll with no feelings, tossed on the floor. Mary Anne keeled. "Oh," she said softly. "Oh my God." The nurses caught her when she fell.  
  
Moments later, the fat man came into the room where she was lying down. "I suppose you know her." He said sadly. Mary Anne nodded. "She's my sis- sister." He glanced at some papers. "Are you interested in the child?" Mary Anne suddenly felt weak. "What child?" The man wiped his forehead with a rag. "Raven Maureen Diaz, she looks to be around four years old." Four? But that was the same age as Alma. No, it was impossible. Dawn had looked really fat at Alma's christening but she hadn't dare say anything. Dawn was edgy then. Anything you said or did would result in a fierce tongue lashing. Dawn was sadder then. She wore foundation to cover up the scars from drugs and when Mary Anne had asked about the bandages on her arm she'd screamed. Mary Anne was no fool, she knew they were from shots of heroin. "Yes," Mary Anne said. "Yes I'm interested." 


	3. She steps outside my baby's gone

A/N: There are going to be two HUGE plot twists coming soon, things aren't always what they seem.

Mary Anne grasped her daughter's hand tightly as they walked into the orphanage. A tall, thin woman with a pinched face met them at the door. "Hi, I'm Mrs. Van der Camp. I work here at the Brewer House." Noticing the confused look on Mary Anne's face, the lady explained. "It's the formal name for the orphanage. A couple of years ago, Watson Brewer, the richest man in Stoneybrook died. His daughter, Karen used her portion of the inheritance to build this orphanage. She's still an active staff member and hosts all five hundred and sixty two children on her ranch in upstate Connecticut for the entire summer and spring and winter breaks. They all come home with new clothes and toys. I think she's here today, she's a wonderful woman." Mary Anne nodded. So that's what Karen had been up to. Pretty much out of nowhere, Karen Brewer, sixteen years older and lovelier than Mary Anne had last seen her, bounded into the lobby. "Linda, we'll need some new crayons and—oh my God! Mary Anne is that you?" Mary Anne smiled warmly. "Yes, it is! I heard you've been quite busy lately."

Karen nodded. "Yup." Looking as if she had just realized her surroundings, Karen rose her eyebrows. "Wait. Why are you here?" Mary Anne took a deep breath. "D-Dawn, see, she died." Karen covered her mouth as tears began to leak out of her eyes. "And her daughter, Raven, she's here. I'm coming to…make her my own." Karen nodded. "Excuse me," she said, half laughing and half crying. "I'm going to go somewhere private."

Mary Anne lifted Alma onto her hip and followed the sound of laughter. There was the most beautiful little girl with tan skin and long dark curls sitting on a window seat staring out into the world. She had the most beautiful blue eyes Mary Anne had ever seen. Actually, Mary Anne had seen eyes like those once. Once and only once, on Dawn's face. Alma bounced from Mary Anne's arms. "Mommy," she whispered. "Mommy is that her?" Mary Anne nodded slowly. "Raven. Over here, now." Mrs. Van der Camp said. The girl turned around and walked over. Mary Anne bent down to Raven's level.

"Hi," she whispered. "I'm your aunt Mary Anne, you can call me Mommy if you like. Your mom--"

Raven's jaw dropped. "You knew my mommy?" Mary Anne nodded and grasped the little girl's hand. "Yes, we are…we were sisters." Alma jumped up and down. "Like us, like us! We're going to be sisters too!" Mary Anne rubbed Alma's blonde head. "Shh, honey." She turned back to Alma. "And I know you miss your mommy a lot. I miss her too," A sob escaped Mary Anne's lips. "I just want you to know that we can miss her together." The little girl flung herself at Mary Anne as Mary Anne rocked her back and forth. "Shh honey. Shh baby, it'll be alright. As long as we're together it'll be alright."


End file.
